


You're All That I Want

by enloeddmedia



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Armitage Hux is Not Nice, Bad Prom, Explicit Language, Explicit Sexual Content, F/M, Fluff and Humor, Fluff and Smut, HEA, Happy Ending, KYLO ISN'T, Kylo is nice, Kylo's isn't, Light Angst, No Pregnancy, POV Rey (Star Wars), Rey is uncomfortable with wealth, Rey's wallet is thin, Romantic Fluff, Sexy Cars, kylo and rey are the same age
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-17
Updated: 2020-09-16
Packaged: 2021-03-07 16:00:55
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 13,503
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26500300
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/enloeddmedia/pseuds/enloeddmedia
Summary: Why did Rey agree to chaperone a prom when it’s just a reminder of her own disastrous night? When a handsome, dark-haired stranger asks her to dance, she has a chance to repair that empty space in her heart. Kylo Ren is perfect—funny, charming, sweet, and way too generous—but there’s something about him she just can’t place. When her past rears its ugly face once more, she’ll learn that Kylo may not be who he says he is.
Relationships: Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren
Comments: 75
Kudos: 203





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> If you aren't familiar with the song ["Heaven" by Bryan Adams,](https://youtu.be/s6TtwR2Dbjg) go take a listen now before reading this to get the full effect (just trust me on this, I've been humming this song for weeks while writing this!)

_What the hell do I know about proms?_

And yet Rey Johnson agreed to chaperone the senior formal. She clutched the fabric of her dress—a lovely wine, strapless but with a nice conservative jacket, as she had been admonished to “dress tastefully.” Perhaps it was a dig at the sundresses she usually wore to work. But seriously, the students expected the flowing, bohemian look from their Drawing and Painting I & II teacher. It fit the role. What was the problem?

The dress was pretty, but nothing like her senior prom dress. Oh, that was pure glory. She had worked and saved up all year for that dress, because her foster parents sure as hell weren’t going to spend a dime on it. Oh, but once she had it on, she felt like a princess—no! An empress! Regal and powerful, ready to take the hand of her general and appear before her royal court.

Had he shown up.

Armitage Hux had come from money and planned to go to West Point after high school. A student at a nearby prestigious military school, he was going to wear his dress uniform to the prom. Rey couldn’t wait to see him in it. It was going to be magic! He would be sharp and statuesque, she would be royalty, and the memories would carry her into adulthood.

Memories. Yeah.

He didn’t even bother to call. She sat waiting for him, trying not to cry and ruin her makeup. It was already an hour past the time he should have picked her up, and her ten phone calls to his cell and home number went unanswered. The eleventh finally scored her an angry mother.

“He’s not going, quit calling!” Most people answered the phone with hello. Not Mrs. Hux.

“But what’s going on? Is Armie okay?”

“I would have expected that he’d have told you himself by now, but he’s with someone else.”

Rey’s world crashed around her as she tried not to throw up on her beautiful dress that cost her so much time and money. Part of her wanted to just throw the phone at the wall and never speak to him or anyone ever again. Instead, her survivor fire burned in her veins. “You’re lying! I want to talk to him right now!”

After a cluck of her tongue, Mrs. Hux said, “Well go on down to the Riverside Country Club. If they let you past the gate, you’ll see he’s at the annual charity ball with someone finally of his caliber.” Click.

He didn’t even bother to tell her. Sure, he’d been quiet the past couple days, but she just figured he was in one of his moods. She never dreamed he had already cut her off and didn’t even think to talk to her about it.

She had already paid for her dress and ticket, and damn if she wasn’t going to go. If only she hadn’t been so anxious and put off taking that driver’s test.

That meant she had to do the one thing she dreaded—asking her foster parents for help. “Mrs. Plutt? Mr. Plutt? Can one of you please drive me to the prom? Armie’s…he can’t make it. He’s not feeling well.”

Unkar Plutt huffed. “Ditched you, huh? That’s too bad.”

Mrs. Plutt waved her off. “We’re only required to take you where you absolutely need to go, and this prom bull is a desire, not a need. Not our problem.”

Rey tried to suck the tears back into her eyes before her eyeliner ran. “PLEASE! I’ve worked and saved all year for this!”

Unkar shrugged. “You’re almost an adult. Do what an adult would do. You want to go, figure out how to get there.”

The money she had left from all this finery wouldn’t even pay for a cab, so she took three buses to get to the high school.

The chaperones at the prom weren’t going to let her in, citing the strict rule about arrival and departure times, supposedly to prevent students from drinking ( _how_ she could never quite understand.) It was only when she finally broke down and cried that they let her in.

First stop was the bathroom to fix whatever was left of her makeup. The photographer had left already, so no picture of her empress gown. The seating arrangements had been random, and she was forced to be at the table with two girls that hated her, that one skeevy wrestling champion that just stared at her endlessly, and others that didn’t know she existed.

But even when Rey found her friends, they were busy with their dates. She tried to save the night, she really did. She danced to the fast songs with her friends, even though she hated most of them (the DJ was awful.) But the slow dances? For those, she just sat alone. Even the creepy wrestling champ went and danced with his date. No one came to her, no one asked, and when she thwarted tradition and tried to find a spare guy, there was no one.

The night ended in the most anticlimactic way possible. Her friends piled into their cars for the beach after-party and had no room for her. After all, she was supposed to be riding in the limo with Hux. In fact, the reason the cars were so packed was because he was supposed to take some of them.

Those three buses took her back home. She couldn’t imagine how pathetic she must have looked, sitting in her regal finery, her hair half undone, makeup smeared, tiara dangling by three precarious hairs.

The final walk down the last two blocks home were the worst with her feet killing her, yet there was too much broken glass on the street to walk barefoot.

By the grace of whoever decided she should be miserable but not a crime victim, no one accosted her even in that section of town.

Armitage Hux went on to West Point and married that woman of far better breeding.

Rey? She was still alone in a tiny studio apartment, just barely making rent. Empress indeed.

#

Ah, the big night. The big _pointless_ night, at least for her. Rey fulfilled her duties: taking tickets, keeping kids out of the stairwells, consoling a girl who had a fight with her boyfriend then convincing that boyfriend to not be a jerk on prom night (because that was a special time, a one-time deal, and would be remembered forever for good or ill.)

At least those two got back together.

Rey made light conversation with the other teachers. There were some parents there too, but she always felt weird talking to the parents, like she was required to perform in a certain manner and watch everything she said so it wouldn’t come back to bite her. Even an innocuous “shit!” could land her on hot water come Monday morning if she pissed off the wrong soccer mom.

She scanned the dance floor and sighed. All these young people, ready to go out into the world, make something of their lives. Rey? She never left. Same high school, same town, same reek of despair, but maybe that was just for the people on her side of the tracks.

“They’re having fun, huh?”

It was such a deep voice, totally unfamiliar. She turned and had to look up. And up. Wow, was he tall, and…oh wow…

Well who the hell was this, and why hadn’t she noticed him before? Fine tux, strong face accented by a prominent nose, shoulder-length black hair styled to perfection. He looked like a prince, smelled like one, too.

Rey had forgotten how to speak. “Uh…yeah. Fun, yeah. Um, are you one of the parents?”

He tilted his head up, soft smile upon his face. “Benefactor, actually. I’ve donated to the local schools for as long as I’ve been able and also help offset the costs for the students by financing a large portion of the prom.”

Maybe he actually _was_ a prince. “That’s very generous of you.”

“I like to give back.” He turned toward her, and she was officially doomed. He had the most incredible brown eyes she had ever seen, so deep and mystical, like a galaxy lived inside of his soul. That mouth looked like it had hung a sign out that said, “Free kisses.” Oh why? Why did he have to be hot? Yet one more thing in her life she wanted and couldn’t have.

Well, if she couldn’t have this prince, at least she could keep him in conversation and enjoy his presence before the magic ended and she never saw him again. “So what is it you do that you can be so generous to our community, Mister—”

“Ren. Kylo Ren, of Ren Technologies.” He stuck out his giant hand and ohhhh lordy they looked powerful, fingers so deliciously _long_.

She took his hand and just felt heat and electricity shoot between their palms. “Rey Johnson of…this school. Art department.”

He smiled. “Art teacher. Not surprising.”

“Oh?”

“Someone so lovely must make lovely things as well.”

Rey didn’t realize her jaw was open until she snapped it shut. Did she just hear what she thought she heard from the prince? Prince Kylo?

The music switched to a slow song, and it must have sounded like the oldies to these kids— _Heaven_ by Bryan Adams. The kids paired off anyway, even if there were some murmurs and joking shouts of “Old!”

Kylo stepped forward and turned, his hand out. “Would you like to dance?”

YES! But she shouldn’t. “I’m…I’m supposed to be the chaperone.”

Kylo glanced over to the principal, gave a quick nod and then winked at Rey. “They won’t mind. They like to keep their benefactor happy. That is, unless you’re not interested.” His smile lowered, eyes took to pleading.

How could she _not_ be interested? “I am…I’m just…not sure…”

Kylo was back to smiling. “Join me.” He quirked his head a little, sweet puppy dog eyes pleading. “Please?”

If she got written up for this, it would be worth it. She took his hand and watched as the smile spread across his handsome face. He led her onto the dance floor and pulled her close, hand on her lower back, the other grasping hers.

Boy, did he take up a lot of space. Broad shoulders, thick arms, massive chest. Clearly someone worked out in their spare time when he wasn’t running Ren Tech.

_Baby you’re all that I want,_

_When you’re lying here in my arms,_

_I’m finding it hard to believe, we’re in heaven._

Looking up at this incredibly gorgeous man while he gazed down like she was the only woman on earth, the modern world disappeared. She was transported back in time, to a seventeen-year-old Rey who was left broken and alone at the prom, a fallen empress clinging to the last jewels of her crown after Hux left her. But instead of spending the entire night alone and forcing herself to smile, this handsome prince showed up, took her hand, and took over the night, saving her from the heartbreak and a lifetime of sour memories.

His hands, his scent, his firm body pressed against hers, that gorgeous, wavy mane and those incredible eyes that saw only her. It was surreal, a dreamscape, wishful thinking, smutty fanfiction, but not reality. Reality never played out quite like this.

_Oh once in your life you will find someone,_

_Who will turn your world around,_

_Bring you up when you’re feeling down._

Rey couldn’t be falling in love because she just met this stranger. But why did it feel like it? Why was her entire mind, heart, and soul reacting so strongly to him?

And damn if he didn’t seem somewhat familiar. Impossible. Her circles didn’t run in his circles. Maybe when she was dating Hux she had run across him. That was the only close brush to wealth she’d ever experienced.

But something, just something, danced somewhere in the dim memories of her mind, not quite finding purchase. Whatever it was, it felt good at least.

He felt good.

Kylo Ren.

_I’ve been waiting for so long,_

_For something to arrive,_

_For love to come along._

Rey stopped trying to think through this encounter and just let herself go, let herself feel like this was the prom she had been denied. Maybe she wasn’t wearing that empress gown, but in his presence, she felt like royalty, like the night belonged to her.

The song ended, and he smiled at her as if she had done _him_ a favor. Ah, but that smile was so beautiful. Damn. Damn…

This all couldn’t have been real. It was too perfect.

Rey shifted back to the present, and she had a job to do. “That was…wonderful…but I really have to get back to chaperoning.”

“Of course.” He stuffed his hands in his pockets and moved off to the side, but he still didn’t take his eyes off of her.

She could feel the weight of his gaze throughout the rest of the prom and wished it would be over with already so she could sit and talk with him, maybe go out for coffee or something. Pfft, yeah right. A man like that wouldn’t be interested in some rinky dink coffee shop in Craptown, USA. He probably went to some French Cafe Au Something-or-other or a place that had one singular, unrelated name like Blink.

And then, as the night got busy, she lost track of him. Oh hell. She should have thrown caution to the wind and asked for his number. Maybe he actually would have given it to her.

No more dances in heaven. Instead, she helped file the kids out to their waiting rides and cars and returned for cleanup. The glamour of the sudden return of her prom died as the lights went on and the trash cans came out. And all the while, Kylo Ren was nowhere to be found.

The benefactor probably left. Well, okay. That was to be expected. She had her moment, and it was over. Magic like Kylo never lasted. He was like a rainbow, beautiful and ethereal but only available for a moment in time.

With the room finally in order, she waved goodbye to her coworkers and sighed. Just like her old prom night, she’d be riding three buses home.

She pushed open the front doors and stopped dead in her tracks. Kylo was standing there by the curb, jacket slung over his shoulder, leaning against a black Maserati with red trim. And he had eyes only for her once again.

Her mouth fell open and stayed that way as she stepped down the stairs. Eventually sense returned, and she closed it before smiling. “I thought you left.”

“I wouldn’t leave without saying goodbye.” He grinned. “You were good company.”

“So? This is goodbye then?”

He shrugged. “Doesn’t have to be.” He looked over the parking lot. “Word has it all the kids are heading to the beach for the after party.”

“Is that where you’re going?”

He scrunched his face and looked up. “Erm, nah. Teenagers aren’t my crowd. I was thinking a walk along the waterfront might be nice though.” He swallowed. “Be even better with company.”

Her heart pounded. Was that an invitation? But she had practical things to consider. “I don’t have a car, and my place is in the opposite direction. I don’t want to miss the last bus. I mean, I’d love to, but…it’s complicated.”

He frowned, contemplating. “Are you allergic to Italian luxury cars?” He broke into a grin.

Rey snorted into a giggle. “No. No I’m not.”

“I would have provided tissues if you were.” His smile lit up his face. “Look I know it’s forward. We only just met, I can understand if you’d be hesitant about hopping into a strange man’s car after one dance to an 80s ballad.” She chuckled again. Damn, he was funny as well as charming. “But I promise to be a perfect gentleman, no strings attached, no weird stuff. Just a walk. I’d…” His face took on such longing, changing his entire demeanor, so strangely vulnerable. “…really just like to get to know you more.”

As a single woman, she had spent plenty of her spare time watching crime shows, and all of those announcers were yelling at her, telling her how terrible of an idea it was, especially after the evidence collected at the crime scene was too degraded to be identified—

Okay, she seriously had to cut back on those suckers.

She stared at Kylo, his bitchin’ car, and had to make a firm but sensible decision.

#

Rey tried not to have an instant orgasm as the roar of the Maserati vibrated the seat beneath her. The dash lights cast a red glow against Kylo’s face that just oozed sex appeal as he tore down the highway.

Maybe it wasn’t the safest idea to go running off with some random guy, but strangely she felt safe with him. It was as if they had some kind of connection she still couldn’t place.

Regardless, she was having fun still living the fantasy. First her senior prom, now as James Bond’s passenger on some grand adventure.

Which turned out to be the waterfront. It wasn’t spectacular, but the company sure was. Kylo walked with his jacket still slung over his shoulder, the wind occasionally blowing those incredible black waves. Conversation was so easy with him. He was funny and sweet, sometimes a touch shy if she caught him off guard with a question. Weirdly, he seemed like another person when that happened, one that intrigued her and made her want to get to know him even more.

And he was really good at steering the center of conversation back to her, again, as if she was the only thing that mattered in the universe. After a lifetime of being Rey Nobody, mattering so little that she could be dumped on the night of the prom without so much as a phone call or text, she was eating it up and falling ever so deeper for her prince.

“You hungry?” he asked.

Always, but he didn’t need to know that. She looked up and down the stretch. “Sure but…not sure there’s anything quite your style here.”

“Ohhh, I have a style, do I?”

“Well, Maserati guys probably aren’t into Tony’s Greasy Pizza and Wings.”

“Are you kidding? Tony’s my best friend. Or at least he will be depending on how good his pizza is.”

Rey giggled. “Alright, fine. Tony’s it is.” Especially because that’s all she could afford.

The indoor seating at Tony’s was shoddy even for Rey’s low standards. She was waiting for Kylo to turn his nose up and insist on a fine French eatery where they don’t even put the prices on the menu (seriously, who can even handle something like that? How do you plan your week’s budget when you can’t figure out how much the damn dinner is going to cost?)

Instead, he stood staring up at the menu as if this was normal for him. “Get whatever you want, my treat.”

Rey cringed. She always felt weird when someone treated, especially someone she just met. It was drenched in expectations and implications, and even that was just to mask how much she felt she didn’t deserve it. Was just easier to handle her own business. “No, it’s fine. I can get my own.”

Kylo sighed, dug into his wallet, and threw a hundred-dollar bill on the counter. “Well, now you have a choice. You can either get everything you want and enjoy yourself, or you can make these poor people dole out a hell of an amount of change.” He turned to look at her with those piercing eyes that turned out to have a delicious honey shade of brown in them now that the lights were bright. “Do you really want to make them suffer?”

His mouth twinged as he fought a smile, and she burst out laughing. Oh hell, if a prince was paying, and the food was cheap, what was the harm? “Okay _fine_ , you…food pusher.”

His giggle made her toes curl and inner sanctum clench. Four slices of pizza, two drinks, and a shared cup of curly fries later, Kylo paid and still collected a hefty amount of change into his hand. This he dumped right into the tip jar to the cashier’s astonished face.

“Holy sh—sir, thank you!”

Kylo gave a quick nod and a smile before sitting with Rey. She was trying not to stare at him in complete shock, and perhaps she stared with her mouth draped open too long because he stuck a curly fry in it. She laughed as she bit down, and his return laugh was just so precious.

Shit. She was really falling for him.

The walk back to the car was quieter than before their dinner. The moonlight sparkled on the surface of the bay, and the curl of the small waves splashed against the pilings, a soft whooshing in the quiet night. Weird how she was just enjoying this, even the quiet, like she could spend time with him and let it be that, just basking in the presence of one another.

The wind blew, and though she still had her dress jacket, it wasn’t holding up against the oncoming chill. She rubbed her arms and tried to hide her discomfort so he didn’t rush them back to the car, end this all so soon.

Her body was wrapped and warm in seconds. Kylo had tossed his jacket over her shoulders without a word. She wondered if he brought it for that reason. Damn, it was huge and perfect and smelled like him.

“Thank you,” she said, grasping it closed with one hand. It was like being cradled in his essence.

“Of course,” he said, so soft and tender.

Onward they continued, and she wanted to drift into his arms and lean her head against his shoulder. But she could never be that forward, not when she was still trying to gauge why a guy like this would be interested in someone like her.

Then a large hand wrapped around hers, and she felt it again, that electric charge and instant warmth. Her heart throbbed, cheeks tingling as they warmed. Why did she feel like some giggly teenager in his presence?

Kylo seemed so tense for just a moment before he calmed, as if relieved she didn’t yank her hand away. A soft smile flashed onto his open mouth. Even his teeth were adorable. Again, it felt like that outer bravado slipped away, revealing someone else beneath, someone she adored just as much, maybe more so if she could get to know him a little more.

Conversation picked up again, and a loose comfort settled around his grasp. Had he been afraid? Mr. Kylo Ren, big rich CEO of Ren Technologies, afraid some pathetic creature like her would reject him? He was such an enigma.

The drive back was much more comfortable and glorious than the ride there. Having gotten to know him, she no longer felt like she was going to wind up on the next episode of Crime Solvers. His big hand lay heavy and warm on hers, and conversation required no effort at all.

Then they got to her side of town. Yikes. “Um, you can just drop me off at the corner of Stuyvesant. I’m just a few buildings down.”

He glanced at her like he couldn’t believe she’d ever say that. “I’m not dumping you off on a corner. Absolutely not.”

Rey shrunk in her seat. “Well it’s…my street isn’t exactly Maserati territory.”

“And that’s all the confirmation I need to make sure you get inside your building safely.”

“You leave your car for two seconds in my neighborhood, it won’t be there when you turn around.”

“That’s what the security detail is for.”

Rey blinked. “Come again?”

“Didn’t notice the guys following us the entire time?”

She hadn’t.

“They’ll keep an eye on the car. I’ll keep an eye on you.”

Strong. Protective. Funny. Charming. Sweet. She didn’t want to wake up from this dream. She never wanted to wake up from this dream.

Kylo pulled in front of her building and double parked without a second thought. A black, nondescript car pulled behind him. One man got out and just stood. She was glad Kylo finally told her about them or she would have had a panic attack seeing that in her neighborhood.

She sighed, wishing the night wouldn’t end. “Okay, well, I had a really good time, and—”

He opened his car door and got out. Seconds later, her door opened and his giant hand reached for her. Rey took it and stood, and that’s when the jumble of thoughts buried her mind. Honestly, if he wanted to come upstairs and plow her until the break of dawn, she’s let him. Yet at the same time, she didn’t want that to be the start of their relationship. Maybe if he had been shallow and one-sided, she could have just accepted a one-night stand because holy hell, look at him! Who could resist that?

But he was…incredible. And she really liked him. Maybe he was just out for some jollies, a bored wealthy man looking for someone to toy around with. But nothing that happened that night said it was true. He had been a gentleman, warm, kind, and interested in her. No one looking for a one-night stand was going to show so much interest in her.

Rey wanted to be in for the long haul.

He walked her up to the door of the apartment building, looked it up and down, and turned to her. “You okay to get to your apartment on your own?” He peered in the window. “Is it safe enough inside?”

She smiled, relieved he didn’t expect to follow her. She totally would have let it happen, controlled by her hormones that were just drunk on this man, but knowing he wasn’t going to jump in that direction made her feel like maybe, just maybe this dream would last a bit longer. “I’ve been coming in and out of here for years, I’ll be fine.”

He nodded and looked at her. The James Bond persona was gone again, and here stood a shy, awkward, sweet thing that didn’t seem like he knew what to do next, or was at least afraid to take another step.

Rey smiled at him to ease his tension. “I had a really nice time. Really…really nice time. Would you like my number? Maybe we can get together again.”

Kylo let out a breath of relief. “Absolutely. Go ahead and I’ll text you so you have mine.”

She gave him the ten digits, and when a message dinged on her phone with a winking emoji and a car, she burst into a fit of giggles. “Got it. You’re too funny.” She smiled and sighed. “Thank you for tonight. You really made it special.”

Those mysterious eyes took on such longing. “That’s all I ever wanted.”

That’s it. She was his. End of story. “Goodnight, Kylo.”

“Goodnight.” But he just stood there, chest heaving deep breaths, eyes wanting. Why was someone like him so afraid? Maybe he needed a little sign.

Rey reached up, cupped his cheek, and tilted her head up. Relief again in his face, he leaned down, one hand sliding along her lower back, the other cupping her jaw, those big hands holding and guiding her into a kiss that made her want to flap her hands in sheer delight. She slid her arms around his neck and kissed him deeply, enraptured by the feel of his powerful body against hers, his incredible scent, the cool silk of his raven mane, and lips that grasped her entire soul.

When he parted from her, his eyes were so hazy with longing and fulfillment at the same time. He just looked like the sweetest, softest boy as he continued to adore her face, fingertips caressing her cheek. Then he broke into the most beautiful smile, as if he had waited his entire life for this moment.

He straightened once again, back to that debonair prince of before. Rey unlocked the door, and he held it open for her. She didn’t want it to close behind her, to cut her off from her dream. But even as it did, he still stood there, a perfect gentleman, watching to make sure she was safe.

Rey waved at him once more and delighted in seeing those fingers curl in a return gesture. Once she was up the stairs and out of his line of sight, ran the rest of the way. She jammed the key into her door and flung it open, whipping it behind her to close as she ran for the window. There she could watch him walk back to the car, give a signal to his men, and roar out of there.

The night was over, but maybe the dream was just beginning.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

>   
>    
> 

“I’d like to invite you to the annual charity ball at the Riverside Country Club.”

Rey didn’t want to tell Kylo how those words made her want to throw up. Forget the nervousness at having to be a poor girl trying to fit in amongst wealthy snobs. It was that damn ball that ruined her prom night. Hux and his skank romping around at the charity ball while Rey sat trying not to cry.

“Kylo, I don’t know. It’s really not my crowd. I don’t have a thing to wear to something like that.” Not to mention she just didn’t want to _go_ in the first place.

“What’s wrong with what you wore the night we met? You were beautiful.”

Rey bubbled. In the weeks they had been talking and seeing one another, she kept falling deeper in love with him. “That was…on clearance. Kylo, people like that don’t see me as a person. They see me as someone who doesn’t belong, and I have enough trouble fitting in everywhere I go for just being my weird self. I don’t want to feel uncomfortable because my wallet isn’t fat enough.”

“But you’ll be with me, and they won’t dare look at you that way because they don’t want to cross me.”

“Ohhh, what are you, the Godfather or something? Running a big crime racket? Piano wire if they don’t show you the proper respect?”

“How did you know?”

“It’s written all over your face. I know the type of man you are, Kylo Ren. Evil to the bone.”

“But I’ll always be good for you.”

Rey chuckled. “My good little bad boy.”

She reveled in his return giggle. “But actually, they’re making a lot of money by being in business with me. They don’t want to cut off the hand that feeds them.” He sighed and she could tell he was smiling. “You’ll be fine. You’ll be beautiful because you always are, and I will be twice the man because I get to show the world someone as incredible as you wants to be with someone like me.”

“Oh please.” She laughed. “You are too much.”

“I’m serious.” He grew quiet. “You make me the man I only dreamed to be before.”

“Aw, Kylo…”

“I’m tired of going to these things alone. Sure, it makes me aloof and mysterious, like Bruce Wayne or something.” Rey giggled. “But I’d much rather walk in there with an empress on my arm.”

Empress…

Not a princess, not a queen, but the word empress. It was as if he had reached inside her soul and found exactly what she needed to hear. Damnit. “Okay. For you, okay.”

His sigh of relief flooded her with bubbly hearts. “Thank you, Rey, you won’t regret this. It will be an amazing night.” He paused. “I’m going to make it a night that will make you smile for the rest of your life.”

That sounded promising. “Well who can refuse that?”

#

Four days before the ball, Kylo sent her a text: [Go to Madsen’s on 12th, give them my name and yours. No pressure, but I saw it and thought of you. No cost, no obligation, and only take it if you absolutely want it.]

Another text shortly after: [And no modesty! No “I couldn’t possibly” or “I can’t afford that” or “I don’t deserve that.” If you love it, you take it home. End of story. Got me?] He sent her a kiss emoji, a red heart, and an ice cream cone because he loved to finish on unrelated emojis just to make her laugh.

She texted back: [Oh Kylo, what did you do?]

[Go to Madsen’s and find out.] Wink emoji. Pumpkin. Japanese flag.

Rey laughed with her phone to her chest before texting back. [You are the worst. And also the best.] Emoji blowing a kiss. A basketball.

In return she got a flower, a kitten, and a hamburger.

Just taking one step into Madsen’s made her want to run back out the door. The saleswoman wore a fine suit, and a tray of champagne sat at a mini bar. The woman reserved her disdain quite well. “May I help you?”

“I’m Rey Johnson. Kylo Ren sent me here.”

Oh that did it. Suddenly the woman was beaming. “Oh, yes! Please have a seat while I get the dress.”

Dress?

“Would you like some champagne?”

Rey wanted to ask if it was free or if she had to pay. Of course, that would make it all worse, and if Kylo was paying for a dress, then he could foot the bill for a glass of champagne. “Um, sure.”

Rey took the glass and sat while the saleswoman disappeared behind the store. Damn, it was good, better than the cheap crap they usually got for New Year’s. Rey drank it fast, both because it was delicious and she felt so incredibly uncomfortable as well as anxious about this whole dress thing.

He had told her what she wore that night was just fine. Why the dress now? Maybe someone said something to him, like he couldn’t bring a woman that shopped the clearance racks.

A few minutes later, the saleswoman summoned her to the back of the store. Rey set her glass down and was glad she did so, because what greeted her almost made her faint and burst into tears at once.

Her prom dress.

Or certainly very close to it. So very close. How? How did he know? Did he really dig into her mind and pull it out? Was he secretly a space wizard with a laser sword?

“Would you like to try it on?”

Rey could barely breathe, let alone move. But her body was well ahead of her brain. “Yeah, sure.”

The saleswoman smiled and left the space, closing the door behind her. Holy crap, this entire area was the changing room?!

With mirrors surrounding her, Rey undressed, casting her discount store shorts and tank top to the side. She slipped on the dark red garment and almost burst into tears when she looked at herself in ten different angles around the room. She vaguely recalled admitting her dress size after Kylo guessed something ridiculously smaller. Sneak.

Transported back in time, she felt that glee when she tried her prom dress on for the first time. But this one was probably a lot more expensive than the old one could ever hope to be. Still, she felt beautiful. Regal.

Like an empress.

Only this time she wouldn’t present with her general that had no plans to show up. This time she would meet with her emperor, to stand by the side of royalty, a man who didn’t care about her economic status or her breeding. A man who wanted only her.

She couldn’t take the dress. It was too much. She didn’t even dare to look at the price and knew it was too much.

She couldn’t take it.

Couldn’t.

Rey gripped the huge bag to her chest as she left Madsen’s, as if something might come along to rip her dream from her once again.

She made it home safe and sound, ripped the plastic off the dress and squealed, flapping her hands. She grabbed her phone and typed.

[Kylo, I love you.]

A few seconds later. [That’s all it took? I would have bought it for you the night we met.] A heart. A crown. And an Easter egg.

Rey burst into laughter and hugged the phone to her chest. [I love you without the dress. I love you.] A moment later after she thought about it: [I should have said that in person, not in a text. I’m dumb.]

A full minute went by. Then: [You are magnificent, and I love you too. So…so much.] Two red hearts and a kiss emoji. No random emoticon. Whoa, he was serious.

[You really didn’t have to do this. You said my dress from the night we met was fine.]

[And it still is. I just couldn’t help myself when I saw it in the window. I needed to see you in it.]

[I can’t wait for the ball. I can’t wait to see you.]

[And I’m dying to see you. I’ll send a car at six. Can’t wait.] A heart. A queen. A hiking boot.

#

Rey sat in the luxury car with ants gnawing at her insides. She was about to enter a world she had once been assured was not for her. She did splurge to get her hair and makeup done, but even that was not at the level these people expected.

With her 18k plated, cubic zirconia necklace, she already felt doomed before they entered the drive.

The car rode along a tree-lined path for what seemed like forever. What was she doing? She’d never dealt with anything like this and wasn’t sure she could now. She wished Kylo had picked her up himself. At least she could cling to his giant hand.

The car pulled around an ornate fountain to the front doors of the country club. This was it. Heaven or hell, only the night would decide. She inched along the seat and reached for the door handle, only to have it opened by the driver. A gloved hand reached for her, and she felt so incredibly _weird_ doing all this crazy stuff!

She wanted Kylo and only Kylo, not all this insanity that came with him. She wanted the pizza chomping guy who held her hand. Maybe a prince or emperor was too much for her to handle.

But she could never let him go. She had to suck it up.

Taking the gloved hand, she rose, trying not to gasp at the ornate building before her. The driver led her inside a set of doors that reached the sky. When she stepped inside, she fought the urge to run back out screaming. It was gorgeous. Marble and gilded something or other. It was a palace, that much she knew.

Before her, an ornate staircase with gold banisters and a red carpet led up to a round landing before continuing to the second floor. Standing there, champagne glass in hand, was Kylo looking out over the rest of the crowd.

He turned and did a double take once his eyes met hers. He set the glass down immediately, overjoyed. That incredible smile spread across his face, and he stepped down.

Oh lord. How was it he could look even better than that first night? The tux had a satin sheen to the lapel. His hair was shaped to perfection. He was magnificent, imposing, regal, and a dream come alive.

Her emperor.

Kylo approached her slowly, taking all of her in. She couldn’t help but blush and put a finger to her chin. Kylo tipped the driver and took her hands. “Oh Rey. Oh my god. You…” He shook his head. “I’m not worthy of your presence.”

Rey giggled and tried to suck the blush out of her cheeks. “You are very much worthy.” She bit her lip. “You look amazing.”

He touched his fingertips to her cheeks. “You are exquisite.” He pressed the softest kiss to her temple and lingered there, his breath on her skin, his scent sinking right into her core.

Rey shrugged. “I did my best to be presentable. The necklace doesn’t really reach up to the caliber of the dress, but it’s all I had.”

“It’s as lovely as you are.” He tipped his forehead toward hers. “Buuuut…I may just have something you might also enjoy.” He dipped into his jacket pocket and drew out a box.

Oh crap, what was in it? He opened it and the contents made her want to run and hide or yank his clothes off, she hadn’t yet decided. A necklace, sparkling white and red, and she was sure those were real rubies and diamonds, not cubic zirconia. And in the center of that beauty was a matching tiara. Her crown.

She gasped and felt a touch faint. “I can’t take this.”

“You’re not taking.” He slipped the tiara out of its bindings and seated it into her hair. Then he slipped behind her and placed the necklace before fastening. “I am giving. I’m just in that kind of mood. Would you like to keep your necklace on along with this one?”

Trembling, she shook her head. “No, you can take it off.”

He removed the smaller piece, placed it respectfully in the empty box, and tucked it back into his jacket before placing his hands on her shoulders. “There. Fitting for my empress.”

Rey swallowed. “Kylo…”

“Come.” He drew her over to a mirror. There, looking at herself in regal red, bearing the necklace and crown of royalty, standing beside her emperor, it really was a dream come true. Too good. Her mind kept screaming at her that such good things don’t last, that there was always a price to pay, but she told it to shut the hell up because she was going to enjoy this night. For once, she just wanted to savor the dream.

“Thank you,” she whispered. “They’re beautiful. I’ve never had anything like this before.”

He leaned in and kissed the shell of her ear. “You deserve this and so much more. Come.” Kylo linked arms with her. “Shall we?”

Rey finally let go, allowed herself to live the dream. “We shall.”

Kylo led her into the ballroom, and it surprised her how many photographers were there. It was surreal, all of it, and she tried her best to live the part.

She was introduced to so many people of whom she’d never remember the names. Proudly, Kylo called her his girlfriend, and more than once kissed her hand to prove to the world it was true.

Then he led her out onto the dance floor, and just like that night at the kids’ prom, he led her in a slow dance that shut off the world around them. All she could see, smell, and feel was him. And he looked at her like nothing else mattered, that the entire building could burn and he’d never look away from her for a moment.

In his arms, everything was perfect. Her shoddy apartment didn’t exist, the crummy neighborhood, the three buses she took to work every morning. For this moment in time, she was equal and counterpart to Emperor Kylo Ren of Ren Technologies.

In the dance, though it may not have been socially appropriate in this crowd, she just laid her head upon his chest, basking in his warmth, his heartbeat, his breaths, his very essence. Kylo held her closer, face nuzzled in her hair, loving her so much it made her chest want to burst into bubbles and rainbows.

An incredible dinner followed, boring speeches, and Kylo stood a few times to accept some praise she barely paid attention to. This part of the crazy world he brought her into was far beyond her comprehension. All she wanted was him.

She loved the dress, the necklace, the tiara, and all the finery, but honestly? She could cast it all off and just hole herself up in an apartment with him and be happier than she’d ever been in her life.

He was magic, and the sooner it could just be the two of them, the happier she would be.

After the speeches, he seemed to be very interested in his watch. Finally, he stood and took her elbow. “Will you come with me? There’s something I want to show you.”

Oh hell, another surprise? Rey couldn’t wait! She gladly followed him through ornate halls while he nodded or shook brief hands with more people she’d never know. Finally, in a far off section of the country club, there was another large room that seemed a little more personal, as if people came here for the important business conversations.

And that’s when she saw something she dreaded this entire time.

Dress uniform. Obvious red hair that could never hide in a room. And on his arm was a horse dressed in designer clothing. Okay, maybe that was harsh, but Rey knew who that woman was.

Hux and his wife, the woman he left Rey for on prom night.

Rey stopped, causing Kylo to turn to her. “Kylo, I kind of don’t want to be here right now.”

“It’s fine, don’t worry.”

“Kylo, you don’t understand. There’s someone here I don’t want to see. A pair of someones.”

He only grinned, and she didn’t like it. Then he turned and called over. “Hux! Lila!” He waved his fingers. “Come, would you?”

Hux did not look happy to be summoned, and then his green eyes hit Rey’s and all expression dropped from his face. He stopped in his tracks.

Kylo smiled, and it wasn’t the sweet one Rey was used to. “Come, don’t be shy.” A shift in Kylo’s eyes said that it was no longer a request but a command.

Hux pressed a pleasant smile on his lips, as did Lila. It did nothing to hide the disdain. Rey had never wanted to just run and keep running until her legs fell off. This night was going so perfectly and now this, a reminder of her nightmare.

Kylo grasped Lila’s hand and kissed it, but there was venom in his eyes. Then he put his arm around Hux and gave him a hard squeeze before letting him go. “Armitage, you remember Rey Johnson, don’t you?”

Hux forced on his fakest of fake pleasantries. “So nice to see you again.”

“Lila, did you ever actually meet Rey?”

Lila gave her best horsey smile. “I haven’t. A pleasure.”

Rey did not say likewise. She only glared, wondering what was going on and why this was happening to her perfect night.

“Now Hux…” Kylo took on a look a father would give to a scolded child. “…isn’t there something you’d like to say to Rey after all these years?”

Hux clenched his teeth and nodded. “You…seem well.”

Kylo grabbed Hux’s shoulders from behind, probably more harshly than Hux had expected, then finished with a nice massage. “No no no, come on Hux. This is the girl you haven’t seen since high school. Remember? The one you promised to take to the prom? The one you ditched to come here with Lila?”

Rey felt sick. Why was this happening? She didn’t want to be reminded of that night. Why did he have to bring it up? And what the hell did Kylo know about it, anyway? What was this all about?

Hux looked everywhere but at Rey. “I…I was a foolish boy back then. I’m sure we’ve all done things—it was so long ago—I’m sure Rey’s forgotten about it by now.”

Boiling steam burned through Rey’s veins. “ _Forgotten_ about it? Forgotten how you didn’t even call? How you made me so late I missed the pictures? That I had spend all my money on buses to get there and back, almost didn’t get in because I was so late, danced with no one, and missed the after-party because we were supposed to go with _you_ and you ditched me? Forgotten how your mother told me you were with someone better? Forgotten how I thought you loved me and you just dropped me on prom night without even so much as a fucking phone call?!”

Hux straightened and rolled his eyes. “Get a hold of yourself. Show some class and maturity—”

Rey stuck her finger out. “Oh don’t you dare! Don’t you DARE patronize me, you son of a bitch!”

“Really, this is why I couldn’t be with you, this kind of behavior.”

Rey was about to scream when Kylo edged his face close to Hux’s, cold and pure darkness in his eyes. “ _What_ kind of behavior? Tell me, Armitage Hux, _what_ kind of behavior?”

Hux shut his mouth.

Kylo leaned in even closer. “Seems to me the behavior in question is yours. What kind of person abandons a beautiful woman like Rey simply because of where she comes from? What kind of person hurts a beautiful woman like this, and tell me, what kind of person looks at her now and speaks to her in such a manner?” Kylo inched even closer, and Hux started to sweat. “Is this what you call class?”

Silence.

Rey didn’t know whether to kiss Kylo or punch him for dragging her into this. But damn if he didn’t shut that smug little prick up once and for all.

Kylo drew back and took Rey’s hand. “Armitage Hux, I think you owe Rey an apology. For then, and for now.”

Hux grinned as if he thought Kylo was joking. 

Kylo stepped closer again. “Come now, Hux. Apologize to Rey.”

Hux huffed and turned. “This is ridiculous. We were kids, you can’t expect—”

“Lila, does your father really want my business? I mean…” Kylo leaned forward. “…really, really want my business?”

Hux’s bitter face turned in Kylo’s direction, like a string of swear words were going to spew out of his mouth any second.

Kylo shrugged and grinned. “All it takes is one apology. That’s all. One…apology.”

Honestly, with the way Hux looked down his nose at her now, she didn’t want it. All she wanted was for this perfect night to be over so she could cry into her pillow and forget everything.

Hux straightened. “I’m sorry for what happened.”

He didn’t sound sorry. He didn’t sound like he cared at all. And with the way Lila was looking at him, he clearly only said it to appease her and her father’s whims.

Kylo shook his head. “No no no, that didn’t sound genuine.” He was back in Hux’s face. “Apologize and mean it. Sincerity, Hux. Sincerity. Show some _class_.”

Hux sighed. “I’m sorry.”

He didn’t even look at her.

Kylo chuckled and turned to Lila. “That’s too bad. Tell your father your husband isn’t interested in closing business deals and is just an all around piece of garbage.”

Lila huffed with her hands on her hips. “Oh come on—Armie! Would you just do it right so we can get back to the party?”

Hux opened his mouth and Rey screamed, “NO!”

The room fell silent. Hux and Lila jolted, even Kylo jumped.

Rey pointed her finger, backing up. “I don’t want your STUPID APOLOGY! FUCK YOU! You ruined my night back then, and you ruined it now!” She turned to Kylo. “How could you do this to me?” Tears rose that would not stop, anger mixed with frustration and years of heartbreak.

She didn’t want to tell Hux how much he had hurt her. She didn’t want to make anything right with him. She didn’t want his stupid apology, and she didn’t want anything to do with him or his stupid horse wife, ever!

Why did Kylo have to do this? Why? And how did he even know about any of it? This was like some cruel joke and she was the butt of it, a pawn in some business deal, a cause on a pedestal, and she didn’t want any of it!

She just wanted Kylo. And he ruined everything.

Unable to stop the oncoming flood of tears, she ran out of the room, bursting through the double doors out into the sprawling gardens.

#

Rey clutched her dress as she jogged down the footpath in her heels. Kylo sprinted after her and caught up in a few long strides (damn those long legs of his!)

“Rey!” He gently grasped her arms, deep concern in his face. “Rey, why are you running away?”

“This isn’t what I wanted!”

“But…how could it not be what you wanted? Did Hux ever apologize to you for that prom incident?”

“No! And he isn’t now!”

“I will make him!”

“No, don’t you get it? Then he’s not really apologizing to me. He’s making you happy. He doesn’t give a shit about what he did to me, not then and not now.” She shook her head. “I don’t want to see him. I don’t want to be in the same room, same county, same planet—but definitely not the same damn room. Not when…” She fought to catch her breath. “…not when I wanted to just have you. Just have this dream with you. I didn’t want that nightmare coming in.”

Kylo sighed and slid his hands over her shoulders. “Rey, I’m sorry. I thought…that this is what you wanted, a chance to make it right after all these years, to heal from that shitty prom disaster.”

“And how do you even know all this about my prom? What? Have you been stalking me? Hacking my accounts for information?”

“No!”

“Oh yeah right, Mister Graduated from MIT, you could _easily_ have gotten into everything—”

“Rey, I swear I didn’t do anything like that—”

“To what end, huh? To embarrass me some more? To bring that nightmare back to me after all these years?”

“No! That’s never what I wanted!” He ran his fingers into his hair and grasped his dark locks. “Rey, I swear I didn’t mean to hurt you. And I promise I wasn’t stalking you.”

“Then how do you know so much about me? Huh? The dress, the thing with Hux, everything, it’s too much for some stranger to know. I don’t even post about this stuff online, so you’re getting this from somewhere or someone. Who are you? Who are you really?”

Kylo went silent, his eyes roving the lit bushes along the footpath. Then he turned back to her. “You really don’t remember, do you?”

Rey’s heart pounded. She knew it. This was a revenge fantasy from high school or some weird shit. Hux probably put him up to it, because it wasn’t enough to humiliate her that day. He had to turn her mediocre life upside down and make it even worse, handing her gold only to find it was painted dog crap. She fought back tears, because she really fell in love with Kylo. “Just tell me what’s going on.”

Kylo ran his hand over his mouth. “I swear to you I didn’t do anything but google your name and at most found out where you worked. Beyond that, I knew nothing of who you were now, only…” He swallowed. “…what we’ve shared in the time we were together these past few weeks.”

“Who I am now? You knew who I was then, didn’t you?”

“Of course I did. I…” He shook his head. “I could never forget you.”

“Well I’m sorry, but I can’t remember you. _Who are you?_ ”

Kylo swallowed again, shifted. “Ben Solo.”

Rey frowned, the name not registering. “I’m sorry, I don’t—”

“Scarecrow Solo.”

And then it all came flooding back. “Ohhhh…no, that’s impossible! He was this skinny quiet boy, really shy, tall though, I remember tall, but really thin and barely speaking to anyone, hiding in the corners, he had these big ears—”

Kylo pushed his hair back and holy hell, it all came flying back into her memory. And those eyes. Finally, she realized what struck her the night they met. And as he looked at her now, dropping the suave confidence Kylo had thus far been known for, she could see those sweet brown eyes she remembered from way back when.

She dropped her jaw. “Ben…”

He nodded. “Yeah, it’s me.”

“But…why are you calling yourself Kylo, what is up with this prom thing, how do you even know anything about any of it? We…weren’t friends or anything, how…?”

Ben stuck his hands in his pockets and scraped the stones on the footpath with the tip of his shoe. “You didn’t really know me, but I knew you. I thought you were the most beautiful girl in school.”

Insert guilt here… “Oh Ben…”

“I was painfully shy, way too scared to ever ask you out. I knew you’d say no.”

“Ben, that’s not—I mean, you don’t know that for sure.”

“Rey, come on. You were dating guys like Hux, strong guys who could obliterate me with one punch. I was scared of them, scared of you, scared of everyone, so I just tried to make myself as invisible as possible, so everyone would just stop hurting me.”

Oh did she feel like crap. “Jesus, Ben…”

“Do you remember the volley ball incident?”

That was the first thing she thought of when she realized who he was. “Yeah. The guys…they treated you like shit.”

“Just slamming ball after ball at me. My glasses got knocked off my face, my nose was bleeding, and they just wouldn’t stop.” He looked up. “Until you came.”

Vivid images flooded her mind. How the hell did she not realize this was him the whole time?

“You screamed at them, told them to stop. Most of them did, all except David Snoke, who just kept grabbing them and wailing on me. You screamed in his face, and he told you to fuck off and continued doing it, so you grabbed him by the waist and threw him right onto the ground before kicking him. All the guys were so focused on laughing at him for being beat up by a girl, I was able to escape.”

It was as clear as if it was happening right then. She could feel herself grab Snoke by the gut, shift her hips, and shove him down, a judo move she learned from a foster brother in the last home she had been in. “And you looked at me, with tears in your eyes, and gave me this quick smile to thank me before you grabbed your broken glasses and ran off.”

He did smile, and hell if it didn’t look exactly the same. How could she have been so damn blind?! “That’s when I fell in love with you, really fell in love with you. Only I never imagined for a second that you’d go out with me, so I never bothered.” He raised his brow. “But I listened. Every time you talked to your friends, when you all thought I was in my own world making those Star Trek comics, I was busy listening to everyone. I heard you talking that Monday after prom, describing your dress, where you got it from, and how Hux was such a jerk to leave you hanging like that, how you spent all your money on buses and didn’t get to do the after-party or get a picture. I heard it all, Rey. I heard it and my heart broke because I loved you so much, and you were this beautiful, perfect girl, and that asshole treated you like you were nothing when you were everything to me.”

He shuffled his feet in the gravel. “I even went to the store where you got the dress, just so I could see it, just so I could imagine you in it. Maybe if I had gone to the prom, I would have seen you alone there and finally gotten past my shyness to ask you to dance. Or maybe you would have seen me sitting alone and asked me.” He shrugged. “I’ll never know because I didn’t go, didn’t even try, because I knew I’d never get a date. I just sat home and thought about you and how pretty you must have looked and just…fucking cried into my pillow.”

Hell, she was about to cry. “Oh my god, Ben!”

He shrugged. “Before you knew it, high school was over. Went to MIT, found people like me, who understood me, started getting past my shyness. Graduated, went to work, became a big success, got everything I ever dreamed of.” He turned to her. “All I needed was you.”

She could only look at him, her heart both breaking and floating at once.

“I had no idea if you were already married, with kids, what have you. But I just had to know. In any case, my new circles in business got me linked in with the likes of Hux and his rich wife’s family. I had already been donating to the schools, not even realizing you were working there, right at our high school, until I finally had the guts to look you up. Talked to the teachers in charge of prom, asked for a few special favors if I threw a little more money their way, and then…there you were, just as…fucking beautiful as you were in high school, maybe even more so. I took the chance, and you were just…so receptive. You liked me. You finally liked me.”

Seriously she could not stop her tears.

“And after that dance we shared, I felt like I wanted to give you the opportunity to just go back and fix it all, to tell Hux what an asshole he was, to have him apologize for hurting you, to let you wear that dress you loved so much, or at least something close to it, and let you have the time of your life. Only I didn’t count on Hux being…such an incredibly horrible douchebag, seriously, what did you ever see in that guy?”

She chuckled mirthlessly. “I was blind. I had to have been, because I didn’t see you all along.”

His eyes filled with such incredible sweet longing that she just wanted to kiss him and hold him and never let him go. Then he hung his head. “I made Kylo Ren so I could finally be seen. I was tired of being Ben Solo. He had never gotten me anywhere. Kylo on the other hand, he has the fancy cars, the mansion, the fine suits, the money, confidence, everything a woman could ever want.”

Rey stepped forward and took his cheeks in her hands. “Ben, I didn’t fall for any of that. I fell for you.”

He pressed his lips together, eyebrows turned upward, looking like he might cry any minute.

“I fell for the man who stared into my eyes while we danced that night, who was just so incredibly handsome, with that beautiful hair and those gorgeous eyes, that delicious smile—” He chuckled. “—who made me laugh and could talk about anything, who sends me ridiculous emojis that make no sense, who I just…” She slid her hands into his hair. “…fell for and adored. And I didn’t need anything else. I just wanted you.” He tipped his forehead to hers and let out a breath. “I’m sorry if I didn’t see you in high school. We were all…idiots back then. Damn, I’m holding on to something that happened when our brains weren’t even close to being done growing and reliving the pain of it how many years later when I could be doing so much more with my life and my time.” She nudged her nose against his. “And I want to start now. With you. With Ben Solo, who loved me enough to carry my pain all these years and try to make it right for me. Only I don’t need that anymore. I just need you.”

Ben stared into her eyes, then closed them and breathed, as if drinking in her essence. After blissful moments had passed, he turned and reached into his pocket. What a time to fiddle with one’s phone, but there he was. And then…

Bryan Adams’ _Heaven_ poured out of the phone’s speaker. He stuffed it back in his pocket, grasped her around the waist, and took her hand once more.

_Now nothin' can take you away from me_

_We've been down that road before_

_But that's over now_

_You keep me coming back for more._

_Baby you’re all that I want_

_When you’re lyin here in my arms,_

_I’m finding it hard to believe, we’re in heaven._

Yes, Ben was all that she wanted, right there in her arms, and she was definitely in heaven.

What would it have been like if fate had worked differently? If he had gone to the prom, sitting there alone, watching her from across the room while she sat brokenhearted and disheveled. What would it have been like to meet each other’s eyes, reach across in mutual pain, and come together?

It didn’t matter anymore, did it? Because he was right here, where he was always meant to be. He drew the empress back up from the ashes, fixed her crown, and extended his hand to walk beside him.

As the song progressed into its final instrumental, Rey grasped Ben’s cheeks and kissed him, and just like that, it all fell away: the terrible prom night—the heartbreak, the embarrassment, the loneliness, the sore feet and three buses, the crooked tiara, the broken memories that would never leave until that moment.

One night would no longer ruin her life, because she found her savior that had been there all along, that always held out for her, and tried so hard to make that night right. Only she didn’t want that anymore. She wanted a whole lot of nights that were right because he was in it.

#

Rey waited with Ben as the valet brought the Maserati to them. Ben opened the door and helped her inside. As she gathered her dress before the door closed, she looked past him to see Hux in the distance staring at her, forlorn, and maybe, just maybe, even filled with a bit of regret.

Rey kept his gaze as Ben closed the door. She wanted Hux to see that. She wanted him to see her closing the door on that chapter of her life, for good.

Hux’s eyes flicked up as Ben stopped by the driver’s side. A touch of scorn there, and she could imagine Ben giving him one of those snide little Kylo smirks before he slid in next to her. Another door closed, a final end to the nightmare.

Ben grasped her hand, kissed it, then put the Maserati into gear before roaring out of the drive.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

>   
>    
> 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Steamy times ahead!

Ben’s mansion was more than Rey bargained for. She wasn’t sure how many of her apartments she could fit in it, or how many could fit in the kitchen alone.

“Rey? You okay?”

He had just led her out of the attached indoor pool plaza and they were headed up the staircase to the upper floor. “Oh yeah, I’m fine. This is great. Why do you ask?”

“Because you have your arms pinned behind you.”

Oh crap, he noticed. “Oh, you know, just…I can get a bit clumsy and I feel like I’m going to knock into something precious any minute if I breathe the wrong way.”

Ben stopped her and coaxed her arms from behind her back. “Rey, you can take a spray-paint can to this place and stick an axe in the wall, and I’ll just sit back and let you do it.” He waved his hand around. “I don’t care about any of this.” With that same hand, he touched a finger to her chin. “Just you.”

“Ben…” How did he always manage to melt her heart? “Are you sure about the spray-paint and axe? Because I was thinking some graffiti would spruce up the place a bit.”

Ben nodded. “Oh definitely, and I like the axe idea. Like, just chop it right into the wall and leave it there. It would be a great conversation piece.”

“I think it qualifies as modern art.”

“Oh, then we’ll have to sell the wall for two million easy.”

Rey broke into laughter and buried it in his chest. “God I love you.”

Ben wrapped his arms around her. “And I love you, so…damn much.” He took both of her hands. “Come, treat this place as if it was your own palace, my dear empress. No more hands behind the back.”

With a sigh, she smiled and nodded, following him through the rest of the upper floor.

“And this—” Ben swung open a final door. “—is my bedroom…” The last word fell on his lips, that shy, sweet boy he had once been coming back out once more. His cheeks were already turning a delicate shade of pink.

Rey wondered what it would have been like to have had Ben as her prom date that night, or even a chance meeting as two lonely souls on the side of the dance floor. What would it have been like to see his smile, to see the love in his eyes, to feel his heart through a simple kiss?

She didn’t have to wonder.

Rey grasped his cheeks and kissed him, feeling that sweet, genuine heart of his. She slid her fingers into his hair and caressed the ears he tried to hide. Ben pulled her against him and there was no skinny boy to be found, just a solid, gorgeous, powerhouse of a man.

Rey pulled at his bowtie and let the fabric flutter to the carpet. As she worked the buttons loose on his shirt, he broke from the kiss just to breathe, his nose pressed to the side of hers, his warm breath caressing her lips. She slid the shirt off of his shoulders, bearing those thick muscles she had yet to get a good look at until now. Boy, did he blossom after high school.

His chest was a rolling landscape of peaks and valleys dusted in stars with just a small patch of scant curls in the center. Ben’s breath hitched as she kissed the smooth skin of a chiseled pec. Seeing as he liked that so much, she trailed her kisses up to his long neck, testing its smoothness with her tongue.

“Oh Rey,” he moaned, his hands roaming her back. “Oh this is like a dream come true. I love you.” With that he buried his lips in her neck, mouth and tongue and soft little nips that weakened her knees and made her want to just surrender to him, just drop everything, every article of clothing, and let him have at her in any way he desired.

“You’re so beautiful,” he murmured into the light hairs at the back of her neck. He pulled down the zipper of her dress, the fabric loosening and exposing her to him. Giant, powerful hands stroked the skin of her back, low to high, then low once more, teasing at her pantyline. “So beautiful.” He exhaled a fiery breath into her neck and pulled her body against his.

She could feel every bit of his hardness, be it muscle or manhood, and wanted all of it at once. Rey pushed the shirt off of him, and as he wriggled out of the cuffs, she ran her hands along his chiseled stomach, skating across the delightful line of hairs leading her in the direction she wanted to go.

Rey locked eyes with him as she pulled his belt through the loops, yanking and loosening while breaths poured from his lips. Those eyes bore the dark desire of Kylo while that sweet face and soft lips still spoke of Ben. Two men in one body, and she had them both.

Before she reached his zipper, she slid her hand over the thick bulge that patiently waited inside. His breath hitched, body lifting, aching longing in his eyes. He had been waiting for this moment for all these years, and she wanted to give him everything.

She unzipped his pants, freeing him of that prison, and let them fall to the ground. Black underpants held tight against him in stark contrast to his light skin amidst nothing but a muscular landscape. She’d never seen a tall man look so shapely and perfectly proportioned before. Nothing short of delicious.

She kept a lock on his eyes while she grasped the hem of his underpants. As she pulled them down, she knelt, still keeping his gaze, until she met firsthand what hid beneath the fabric.

Oh my…

He was big in all the right ways.

“Rey,” he sighed as she grasped it in her hands. “Oh Rey…”

She neared the side of his manhood and kissed the soft skin, from the base up to the head while he panted and whispered her name over and over. At the tip, she slid her tongue over the crease and opening and looked up into his face to see his reaction.

Ben looked as if he might cry or come right then and there, his precious lip quivering. Rey opened wide and took him into her mouth as far as she could manage while grasping the rest in a deep, long, hot stroke. Ben tossed his head back and sucked in a heaving of air before tipping his head back down, his black locks swirling into his gorgeous face.

“Rey,” he whispered and stroked her hair. It was still so tightly pinned, so she dug at it until it shook loose to let him sink his fingers in. His massive chest rose and fell while long fingers stroked her scalp and sifted through her hair.

“You’re a dream come true,” he forced out, his face so crumpled in intense desire. “I love you so much.”

She responded with fluttering licks that made him moan into a growl.

“I need you,” he rumbled, and perhaps Kylo came back in then. “Fuck I need you.” Cupping her jaw, he drew her up and back to him. He yanked her up into his arms, pulling her out of the rest of the dress, and took giant steps to the bed. With reverence, he lay her down as if she were a rare jewel and grasped her lacy panties.

With this he took his time, pulling while trailing his fingertips over her skin. He too wanted to savor every moment of his dream. Ben rose to his full height to pull them off and pressed her legs along the length of his body, those enormous hands stroking from her thighs to her feet while she rested against his mountainous terrain. He dipped back down, guiding her legs over his shoulders, and buried his face in her aching center. Fluffy black waves graced the skin of her inner thighs in their softness while a hot, wet tongue parted the entrance to her inner sanctum. Laps, licks, and strokes, he teased every part of her before finally possessing her waiting bud.

Rey gasped and fell apart at the combo of licks, suckling, and tender strokes, his mouth knowing every way to pleasure her at once. Two of those long, massive fingers of his teased at her already soaked opening and slid deep inside her, finding just the right spot and curling.

Oh how the hell did he know every right spot to hit? Perhaps some things were just meant to be. Maybe they weren’t meant to meet as two awkward, virginal teens making a mess of things and spending years trying to figure it out. Maybe they met now, experienced and settled within themselves, to give each other everything and more.

Rey locked her legs around him as if afraid he’d escape. He responded by stroking her thigh with his free hand, then coursing it over her stomach. So good, he was just so good at everything.

Pulling her too close to the edge, she knew she had to make him stop. “Ben, I want you. All of you.”

He lifted his face, lips pink and full, eyes dark and deliciously dangerous. His fingers slid out of her and he licked them clean with his long tongue, staring at her the entire time. Muscles taut and bulging, he crawled over her, stalking his prey like the wild beast he had become, and she was glad to be his prey.

Hands planted on either side of her, he lowered himself for another kiss. Gentle, loving, belying the beast she knew he was hiding. His tongue plunged into her, his kiss overpowering her mouth, while a growling breath rumbled in his chest.

His untamed beast of a manhood pressed up against her entrance, seeking, hunting, until it found its quarry and plunged deep and hard. She sucked in a breath through her nose, for he wouldn’t relinquish the kiss. On his elbows now, one hand graced her throat, no pressure, no danger, but claiming her with the faintest sensual touch, her pulse beating beneath his skin. That same hand slid down and cupped her breast, it disappearing beneath his hand.

Oh he was so enormous in every way.

Rey locked her legs around his hips and rolled with him, taking every bit of him inside of her. Each thrust hit all the right spots, making her squeal with every movement, barely able to catch her breath. He finally relinquished her lips and took his hot, suckling kisses along her jaw, down her neck, and finishing at her nipple. The same care and attention was shown as he had between her legs, and the thought that she could possibly have this man forever made heaven come quick and hard.

At her cries signaling the onset of her crest, he pounded into her with relentless fury, and after a sublime high of pure elation, she came so hard she screamed into a sobbing mess. He followed right on the edge of it, growling into a roar, his black waves whipping in his frenzy of rapture, before he lowered with a releasing growl turned to a sigh, lips just outside hers, breath skating across her skin.

“I love you,” Rey whispered.

Tiny drops of sweat sprinkled from the soaked tips of his hair. “I’ve always loved you. I always will.”

#

Rey gave a quick wave and smile to Matt, Ben’s (though here at the office, he was always known as Kylo) administrative assistant, and opened the big boss’ door. She slid into a chair opposite his desk and rested with a finger to her teeth.

“Just ooooone second,” Ben said, his back turned as he tapped at his keyboard. One last click of a mouse and he spun in his chair. “You ready?”

“For a spontaneous weekend in Cancun, always.”

Ben pushed against the floor, scooting his chair to the side to show his computer. “Before we go, you want to laugh?”

“I could always use a good laugh.”

Ben waggled his eyebrows. “Listen to this email. ‘Dear Kylo, I hope this finds you well. I would prefer to discuss this on the phone or in person, but I have not yet been graced with your response. We haven’t spoken in two years, and I would very much like to rectify the situation that had led us to this impasse. If you and your lovely wife, Rey, would just spare us a moment, whether a dinner or simply a chance to meet, I am sure my son-in-law would be gracious enough to give her the apology she has requested. In fact, I assure it. Do give me the honor of your response. I’m sure we can put this matter to rest and move forward in our business together.’” Ben swung his head back in her direction with a devious grin.

Rey giggled with her hands to her lips. “And what response shall you grace him with, my dear husband?”

Ben ran his hand through his hair. Damn, she loved when he did that. “Well, I’ve crafted a well thought-out and articulate statement I’m sure will relay my—scratch that, _our_ —feelings on the matter.” He pointed one finger and pressed the delete key.

With a grin, he sprung out of his chair, pulled her to her feet, and kissed her into eternity.

Rey Solo didn’t need an apology. She only needed her Ben.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Of all things, what inspired this fic was an episode of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia where the gang is talking about their failed prom and are asked by a bunch of high schoolers to go with them. I don't know, I just was thinking about prom do-overs and that sparked this utter mushfest. 
> 
> While I didn't have the disaster of a prom that Rey did, it was definitely boring with music I just could NOT get into, I was randomly seated with people I didn't know, and I don't even remember dancing to ANY song. Even the slow songs were ones I never heard of before.
> 
> Oh, and just to top things off, I wasn't well off growing up, so I decided to make my prom dress. It actually came out really nice, though I would have preferred velvet to satin. Well, Monday rolls around and some bitch who tried to pretend she was my friend went into a whole tirade about how ugly my dress was and how I looked awful in it, even drawing a diagram to point out just how awful I looked. High school sucks. The end.

**Author's Note:**

> Follow me on [Twitter](https://twitter.com/shannon_enloe) @shannon_enloe and [ Facebook](https://fb.me/enloeddmedia) @enloeddmedia and [Tumblr](https://enloeddmedia.tumblr.com/) enloeddmedia


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